Cake
by CaityPineapple
Summary: I was a dad once. Drabble set during the end of Fear Her. 10Rose. One-shot.


**Disclaimer:** Not mine, never will be.

**AN:** Slight Angst!Doctor, but, you know, it's fun. :D This is actually quite old, and I only just found it again. There will be a happy ending, just because I couldn't bear anything else, atm. Especially with Journey's End coming up on the telly tonight. **SPOILERS** for 'Fear Her', but if you haven't seen that (omg) it shouldn't really matter. There are some mentions of season 1, so if you haven't even seen that, just leave now :P. Disregards everything after 'Fear Her', e.g. 'Army of Ghosts', 'Doomsday', ETERNAL SADNESS, etc. and also some of the ending of 'Fear Her', e.g. "something's coming, omg".

Also, thanks to my friend Kara (even though you'll probably never see this) for the wonderfully simplistic title.

Anyway, cheers for readin' all that. :D

Enjoy.

Cake

The Doctor was walking down the darkening street, his hands in his pockets. There was a new lightness to the atmosphere, a happiness he had denied himself for so long. He was smiling to himself slightly, only vaguely aware of the reunited families, booming fireworks, and distant cheers echoing from the Olympic stadium. He was so lost in thought that he didn't notice Rose wander up behind him from one of the houses, as he came to a halt.

"Cake?"

The Doctor turned at the familiar voice, grinning as they stepped towards each other. Rose had extended her arm to offer him the cake, and he looked down at it.

"Ahh, top banana!" He took the cupcake from Rose, and examined it closely for a second, before biting a large piece off. "Edible ball bearings, fantastic! You humans are brilliant."

Rose watched as the Doctor examined the cake again; smiling indulgently at him. He looked back to her, grinning, and engulfed her in a tight hug, glad to be alive. They pull away moments later and the Doctor offers Rose a piece of the small cake, holding it up to her face.

She pauses, eying him.

"Doctor what did you mean, before?" He looked confused, and she elaborated. "When you said, 'I was a dad once'."

The Doctor sighed and lowered his arm, breaking eye contact to stare into the distance.

"Before the Time War, back on Gallifrey, I had a family," He noticed her trying to interrupt, and he continued. "Now, this wasn't like a 'normal' family on Earth, we were assigned by the state to reproduce. I loved them dearly, you must know that, but I was never _in love_ with my wife."

He paused.

"That was hundreds of years ago, now. 800, at least. I've moved on," He looked at Rose. "Have to keep moving."

"I'm sorry. I... I shouldn't 'ave mentioned it," She looked away, tears beginning to form in her eyes.

"It's fine, Rose, really," The Doctor replied truthfully, pulling her into another hug.

"When I met you, Rose," He began softly, "The Time War had just ended, I was bitter and sad and lonely. The war had made me angry and reckless, but you helped me. You've save my life so many times, Rose, sometimes without realising, sometimes regardless of your own safety. You helped me to see that life is worth living, and then I regenerated. This new body and this new mind have helped me see what I knew deep down, what I've wanted from life over the past few years, since meeting you."

The Doctor paused and felt Rose shift slightly under his embrace, urging him to go on.

"I was so ready to do something about it, _so_ ready, but after seeing Sarah Jane again, I froze up. That proof of reality, the fact that everything has its time, the fact that nothing lasts forever, that I will end up alone one day scared me," He sighed, "I was being selfish."

"But just today, seeing all of this hope and love, I realised that there's no use just breezing through life, afraid and alone, not taking chances. I figured that if you don't take chances, if you don't have a go, then you haven't really lived," The Doctor away slightly to look into Rose's eyes. "_Living_ your life is the most important thing. So this is me, taking a chance."

He leaned forward and kissed Rose softly on the lips. They stood there for a few moments, arms still wrapped tightly around each other, clinging desperately, in the darkening street. The air was filled with the laughter and joy of reunited families, but they didn't seem to notice or care in the slightest.

Rose pulled away a moment later, looking up into the Doctor's eyes, "I'm glad you took the chance."

"I'm glad I took the chance, too."

He watched as a smile tugged at Rose's lips, and he softly added, "I love you, Rose."

"I love you too, my Doctor."

They grinned at each other for a moment before walking hand in hand, back to the TARDIS.

**The End.**

**AN: **Review: it's good for you. :)


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